Overseas Fabrics
It has been a REALLY long time, since I have encountered a business that made me want to write about them. That changed last weekend, and was confirmed today, when we visited Overseas Fabrics, a fabric store in Abbotsford.
Yes, I’m going to let you think about that for a minute…
Bob is writing about the fantastic retail experience he had at… “A Fabric Store.“
Think about EVERY experience, or just the expectations you’ve had while shopping for fabric. It probably goes something like this:
You wander aimlessly through a maze of seemingly endless circular tables, which are often sorted by pattern-based themes or colours, rather than by fabric type… until you finally find some appropriate fabric, at which time you take the fabric to the cutting table, and then start searching anew, only this time, looking for an employee… any employee… to cut the fabric. You finally find someone, who, amid heavy sighs, begrudgingly cuts your fabric. You pay, and leave, grateful that the ordeal is over.
Overseas Fabrics is a COMPLETELY different experience.
They do check all the boxes you would expect…
• A huge store, full of beautiful fabrics, notions and accessories.
• Well organized, so that you can shop easily.
Nothing really unusual, or blog-worthy, there.
Where Overseas Fabrics separates itself, and pulls away from its competition…
• Great prices, every day.
• Their people – who give a warm greeting when you arrive, and offer service with friendly enthusiasm.
Overseas Fabrics is a family-owned and run business, and you feel that, from the owners and staff alike, in the quality of service they provide, and care that they take in ensuring their customers leave happy, having bought quality products, at great prices. They have been in business for 26 years, and they are now working on a web store to help those folks who can’t make the drive out to Abbotsford, but still want quality fabrics, at great prices!
Their website says they have over 90,000 fabrics in stock in their store, and that they are the largest fabric store of its kind, in Western Canada. I believe it!
When we arrived at Overseas Fabrics for the first time, we were enthusiastically greeted by the gentleman at the front, like we were long lost friends. We got similar greetings from all the other staff, as we moved throughout the store. Several times we were approached, and asked if we needed help.
Shortly after we arrived, we were asked if we had shopped there before, as Overseas Fabrics have a different approach. They don’t play the “wheel of discounts” game… they buy in volume and pass it along, every day… No inflated prices with bogus discounts. On every roll of fabric, there are two prices and a quantity. That’s it. (For example: $7 for buying one metre, and $5 for buying over a metre.)
The reason we found Overseas Fabrics, Lorie needed some brightly-coloured material for a project, and thought Sari fabrics would be perfect. She searched the web, and on a sunny Saturday, we headed for Abbotsford.
I drove her out there, and when we got there, I wasn’t treated like a husband and ignored, I was treated as if I might be the customer. (Stranger things could happen!)
All in all, I cannot recommend Overseas Fabrics more highly. If you are looking for fabrics or sewing supplies for a project, check them out!
Their store is located at 32853 Ventura Avenue in Abbotsford, and is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. Closed Sunday.
Their website is OverseasFabrics.com
Edited April 2020: Their Online Store is now up and running… and fantastic!
You can find them on Instagram, and Facebook (where they have amazing reviews!)
Here are a few photos, to try to give you a sense of the immense variety of products they carry… (Click on any image to open a pop-up window)
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* I have said it before, but it bears repeating: The endorsement of this business was not bought. Nor was it paid for, by credits, free goods, discounted products or anything else. Any outside businesses, which are endorsed on the “What’s In Store” category of this Blog, are endorsed, because they are good businesses, that I frequent (or have frequented) and believe they are worthy of mention.
I do not accept payment or remuneration of any kind, for any of my Posts.
Echoes
I was a child of the 60s.
My first real tangible memories, are the touchstones of the times.
The music of the late 60s and early 70s.
NHL League expansion.
Nuclear testing in Kamchatka.
Vietnam.
The NASA missions to space, and to the Moon.
Watergate.
My father worked for local radio stations and then the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (the CBC), and our home and dinner table was often a gathering place and nexus for discussions regarding arts, science, politics, music, and other current events that were in the zeitgeist.
I was very young, and viewed the world with a black and white sense of idealism, that had no sense of the many shades of gray that lay between the two extremes of right and wrong.
So, I had no sense of understanding for my Father, who, after a long year of working, would choose to spend our holiday time in Penticton, in front of a TV set, watching the Watergate Hearings, rather than spending time enjoying the local lakefront.
Cut to current day, where my wife and I scan the headlines, morning and night, to find the latest development, with an American President who seems to have lost his moral compass, is openly dismissive of the Press, and have a measured disdain for minorities…
Dad… I get it.
It was further brought into focus, by watching the CNN show “Tricky Dick” – a series of four programs that, using ONLY footage and audio from the Nixon era, presented the timeline of Richard M. Nixon’s rise to power, and fall from grace.
It seems that many, back then, did not recognize the signs along the way… and looks like many US citizens are repeating a lesson they did not learn the first time.
One of my Dad’s favourite quotes, from John Dalberg-Acton (1834-1902):
“I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Pope and King unlike other men, with a favorable presumption that they did no wrong. If there is any presumption it is the other way against holders of power, increasing as the power increases. Historic responsibility has to make up for the want of legal responsibility. Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. “
I get it, Dad. I get it.
TeamDepotCA
A while back, I dove back into the world of retail, after a hiatus of a few years. I took a job, working hard, having fun, and creating sawdust, at the Home Depot store in Port Coquitlam.
It feels good to be ‘back in the aisles”, helping folks with their projects, and giving them a hand with finding the items they want, and need.
The other day, along with about a dozen Home Depot associate volunteers, we went to Coquitlam, to do outreach, with our store’s next #TeamDepotCA project.
TeamDepotCA, is the project where Home Depot Associates go out in their communities, and volunteer time, energy, supplies, and elbow grease… and work on something that a worthy local organization needs a hand with.
On this occasion, the group getting a hand, was the RainCity Housing Shelter, at 3030 Gordon, in Coquitlam.
You can read more about The Shelter, and the great work they do, on their website.
Our team showed up with trimmers, shovels, rakes, plants, garden accessories, and a lawn mower… and over the next few hours, we cut the front boulevard. Added shrubs and winter pansies at the entranceway. Cut the back yard, and installed edging in the garden to make future maintenance easier. We pulled out a few plants that had died, and replaced them with bulbs that will be nice surprise for the residents, when next Spring comes around.
And in the process of giving back, we had a ton of fun… and are looking forward to our next Project!
Home Depot’s Orange Door Program (part of the Home Depot Canada Foundation) has a focus on ending Youth Homelessness. You can find out more, by going to the website.
Here are a few pictures, from the day’s activity.
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A fun time was had by all… (Click on any photo, |
West Coast Flying Trapeze
At a Social Media Meetup, in 2016, we met the folks from West Coast Flying Trapeze, a new business, located in Pitt Meadows.
They are a business that offers training in various circus-related skills:
- Aerial Silks
- Aerial Hoop
- Juggling
- Hand Balancing
- Trampoline
- Tumbling
- Flying and Static Trapeze
- (And they are adding more services, all the time!)
Their facility is housed in an expansive 8000 square foot hanger, located near the Pitt Meadows Airport.
Check out their video below, for an overview of the fun!
Because I’ve had a few incidents with whiplash, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the Manager suggested that I *NOT* try the trapeze… which was my first indication that it was a top-down, safety-first facility.
The staff was all professional, and their incremental method of teaching the students, seemed to be designed specifically to maximize the opportunity for the students to succeed, as much as they could.
From the West Coast Flying Trapeze brochure:
“Circus does not require a ton of strength, a high degree of flexibility, or a certain body type. All you need to do is show up. Our Coaches will guide you through the rest. At West Coast Flying Trapeze, it’s not about what your body looks like, it’s about what your body can do!”
If you are looking for a fun activity for just about anybody, I would suggest checking out West Coast Flying Trapeze… they are a Circus School for everyone!
They are located at Unit 105 – 19055 Airport Way, Pitt Meadows, BC. (At the intersection of Airport Way and Baynes Road)
You can find more information about their services and their prices, on their website: WestCoastFlyingTrapeze.com
It is a fun venue, for both the participants, as well as observers… not only from the Circus training, but also from the perspective of the highly-entertaining four-legged friends: Russell and Tally — two very different dogs, who (seemingly) love to cuddle and entertain “audience” members! (Video below)
* I have said it before, but it bears repeating: The endorsement of this business was not bought. Nor was it paid for, by credits, free classes or anything else. Any outside businesses, which are endorsed on the “What’s In Store” category of the Blog, are endorsed, because they are good businesses, that I frequent (or have frequented) and believe they are worthy of mention. I do not accept remuneration of any kind, for my Blog Posts.
Garden Fairy Doors
Recently, Lorie and I started crafting and selling small doors for magical creatures… and so, whether you need a home for your Gnomes, Hobbits, Pixies, Elves or Fairies… we have a door that is just right for your needs!
Some are fanciful… others quite rustic… some are colorful… and others understated. Something for every taste. Each is one-of-a-kind, and hand-crafted. (Honestly, I would post pictures, but they change ALL. THE. TIME.)
Lorie has also made some fun and funky whimsical accessories… banners, flags, wind chimes and more…
You can find the full assortment of what is currently available, in our Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/GardenFairyDoors/
For fun, we also created TreeMax – a “Fairy Tale Realty Company”: https://treemax.ca/
And, if you want the full story on how we got started making Fairy Doors, you can find the details here: https://gardenfairies.ca/
The Power of Dates, Over Time
Some time ago, there was a daytime talk show, I can’t remember which one, where the host had a guest on, who was paralyzed by her parents deaths.
As the primary caregiver, she had been responsible for their everyday care and function, as well as advocating for their healthcare.
And, upon the occasion of their passing, she found that she would go into a depression, every time there was a big holiday (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving) at their birthdays… but especially on their Death Dates. Those were really hard to bear.
The advice from experts was to remember those who passed on their birthdays, try to build new and different traditions on special Holidays, and to try to block acknowledgement of the Death Dates, by staying busy, and planning activities that “take over” the Death Dates, and by trying to “take away their power”, by remembering the good times, and pushing the sad memories away.
I found this advice helpful, as I had lost my parents at an age that I felt was “early”. My Mum passed away in 1996,and my Dad in 1999.
I have, for the most part, been able to focus on the memories I have of them, from when they were alive, and the “treasures” I have, that (for me) helps to remind me of them, and keep their memory alive.
It struck me recently, that this year will be 20 years since my Mum passed, and shortly after, we started on the roller coaster that my Dad’s health journey would become, for his last few years.
In many ways, I think I was very fortunate to stumble upon that talk show, on that day. It certainly has helped me.
But, on this day, it suddenly, and without warning, shocked me that 20 years had passed. I guess that is the power of dates, over time.
And so, I shall raise my mug of tea, in toast… and go back to keeping busy.